Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 138541 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138541 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
“Today would be nice, Guinevere!” Nathan calls up the stairs, making me snigger. Why am I pushing him?
After making him wait another ten minutes, I finally make my way downstairs. He’s sitting on the couch with Dillan on his chest, looking casual and content. Well, as casual as one can look in an expensive suit. “Sorry it took me so long.” No I’m not. Not in the slightest.
Nathan lifts Dillan up and over his face, making him smile and gurgle. “She’s not is she? Not at all. She’s silently laughing at me.” His voice is high and happy. I love it when he speaks to Dillan like this. “Mummy is mean, yes she is.” Uh-oh.
“Puke face.” I say with a wince, but it’s too late. A splat of white, lumpy baby vomit leaves my son’s mouth and lands directly beneath Nathan’s chin. I get ready for the dramatics and grab baby wipes from the side. “Here.” I hastily make work of removing the vomit from his neck. Fortunately he doesn’t seem too fussed, but lets me clean him anyway. I use this moment of peace between us to bring up our last meeting. It didn’t end so well and I behaved appallingly. “I’m sorry for what I said.” What a ridiculous way to apologise. His eyes meet mine. It fuels my courage and calms me slightly, enabling me to continue. “I should never have used him as a weapon like that. I’m ashamed of myself.”
“You reacted to a… difficult situation.” He responds, his eyes softening on me.
“That’s not an excuse.”
“No.” He disagrees, smiling once more at Dillan. “It is an excuse, not a great one, but a forgivable one.” I sag slightly with relief. He forgives me and that actually feels pretty good. “He urinated all over my front the last time I had him.” Nathan shudders slightly at the memory. Typical Nathan to want to move on from our emotional moment, although I’m glad he doesn’t linger or hold grudges for too long. “He thought it was funny.”
Good boy. I mean… “Sorry.”
Nathan waves me off and tilts his head to the side as I pull his collar open and wipe at the spillage that has seeped beneath. “Here, take him. I need to change my shirt.”
Okay, so maybe he is freaking out a little. Or maybe he just doesn’t want to have a stain near his collar for his drive home.
“Kay.” I grab Dillan, making sure to keep him at an angle just in case he needs to puke again.
“Did you have any plans for the evening?” Nathan asks as he walks back in, his white shirt gone. In its place is a baby blue one that looks amazing against his skin tone.
“No.” I say with a shake of my head, willing myself to look away. He takes Dillan back and sits down. I’m shocked, as I can see the nappy bag is fully packed to its limit so he really has no reason to linger. Nathan doesn’t like lingering. I’m glad he is.
“You went out.” He prompts, his brows raised.
“Yeah, it wasn’t as fun as I’d hoped it would be.”
“Why?”
Sigh. “It just wasn’t. I’m not used to being in crowds, supermarket not included.”
He licks his lower lip, his eyes scanning my face. “Are you dating?”
What? “Come again?”
“Are you dating?” He frowns like I’m the stupid one here.
“Is that a serious question?” I laugh in disbelief. “It’s been seven months.” Nearly eight, but let’s not split hairs.
“That’s plenty of time for you to start getting your life back.” I’ll never get my life back. Caleb died, remember? “You’re a stunning girl.” Girl? “I find it shocking that you haven’t been asked…although you’re hardly warm towards people that aren’t already your friends or family.” What a hypocrite!
“I have.” I blurt, feeling slightly defensive. “Someone has asked me actually.”
His face falls. “Who?”
“A very nice man named Eric.” Why am I telling him this? “Very good looking too.”
His eyes burn with an intensity I can’t place. What is he thinking? “Are you going on a date with him?”
My shoulders sag. “No. I said no.”
“Huh.” His hand runs through his hair and I notice his gloves are gone. Was he wearing them when he came in? I can’t recall.
Well, this silence is awkward. “What about you? Are you dating?”
“I don’t date, Guinevere.” He sighs with a roll of his eyes.
“Why?” Ha, I certainly spun this back on you!
“I think you know.” He lowers his eyes and my breath hitches at the amount of shame I saw in them before they looked to the ground. After placing Dillan in the car seat and buckling him in, he finally breaks the silence. “I should go.”
I stand quicker than him and grab his hand without thinking. It was meant to be a consoling gesture. What the hell have I done? I wait for the explosion. I even shut my eyes and turn my face away. I try to pull my hand back, but his closes over it; very slowly I feel his fingers lace through mine and my breath hitches. We both stare at our entwined fingers and touching palms. Nathan slowly brings it up, gulping as he does, before placing the top of my hand to his lips and holding it there for a moment.